Twenty minutes is all you need to help build flexibility and stronger joints and muscles with this routine I've put together as the resident PT here at Tom's Guide. You don’t need any equipment, but you could add resistance bands or yoga blocks if you like to work with them.
I rolled out one of the best yoga mats for this session — the Lululemon ‘The Mat’ — which I love for cushioning my joints. Best of all, the short routine is suitable for beginners, and although it’s full-body, it has a strong focus on the hips, which is ideal if you’re often stationary for long periods.
Tight hips can inhibit lower body movement and have knock-on effects like low back pain or overcompensation in other muscle groups. Therefore, I recommend adding mobility routines like this one that move your hips through a range of motion several times a week. Watch my full routine below.
Watch Sam’s 20-minute full-body mobility routine:
Sam Hopes - Full Body Stretch - YouTube
I’ve been teaching weightlifting, bodyweight training, and mobility drills for years, and stretching and mobility is by far my favorite to teach. I’m also currently completing a Yoga For Athletes course, which has transformed how I look at the body when programming strength for clients.
There are endless ways to stretch, strengthen, and mobilize the body and it’s never too late to get started. This is a gateway session into more advanced mobility, so anyone at any level can benefit.
I give options to scale where possible, but if you need to take a moment, at any time, I recommend a child’s pose or downward dog to restore energy.
Is it better to stretch or do mobility?
Both are beneficial for performance and everyday movement, but stretching provides a more short-lived impact than mobility.
If you’re unsure what the difference is between the two, stretching promotes muscle flexibility and can be static, passive, or active, like PNF stretching. Mobility drills move the joints through a range of motion to develop flexibility and strength, like shoulder or hip rolls, for example.
Together, they make a powerful couple. Flexible muscles with great mobility can help prevent injury and improve movement mechanics. But there’s little point in developing length in your muscles if you can’t move your joints properly.
Like anything in life, consistency will breed the best results, so if you want to make long-term improvements, you’ll need to add some mobility and stretching into your exercise routine regularly, even if it’s just a few minutes a few times per week.
The best way to do this is to include mobility exercises in your warm-ups and stretching in your cool-downs. You can read my guide for more on stretching vs mobility: what’s the difference?
If your goal is to lengthen and strengthen, this routine brings mobility and stretching into one session to improve stability, strength and control over movement while maintaining joint health.
Only over many years of workouts and qualifying as an instructor have I learned the true benefits of stretching and mobility, the unique differences, and how to use both effectively for exercise, recovery, performance and injury prevention. Give this session a try and see how you go!
More from Tom's Guide
- I just tried these simple hip mobility exercises for hip flexor pain — here’s what happened
- Can't do pull-ups? I’m a personal trainer, and here's the one hack you need to try
- Do you find squats uncomfortable? I've ditched stretches for duck walks to build lower-body mobility, strength and stability.
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